building healthy community
When the communities we live in – family, work, school, neighborhood – are healthy, it is a game changer for everyone within them. James, writing to the early church, knows this and is upset to hear that they are showing favoritism to the rich rather than building a healthy church community. Our challenges might differ from theirs, but the community-building principles will serve us well.
Value others as God values you
My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? (James 2:1)
Christianity brought forth a radical relational reorientation that removed value distinctions. Jews and Greeks, men and women, rich and poor, were all equal in value. It was to be a community without favoritism that honored everyone. This Christian ethic has changed the shape of history and influenced many of our modern values of equality.
God’s people value all people. It’s who they are and how they are to live. Unfortunately, it’s easy for us to undervalue others. The habits we build can help us combat this tendency. It begins with little things like holding doors for people and offering a helping hand. We can choose to make eye contact and see their humanity. Use their name and appreciate the wonder of the life before us. The healthiest families, teams, and workplaces affirm the value of each of their members.
Check yourself before you wreck yourself
You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”…So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. (James 2:8,12)
In the Roman patronage system, the wealthy would pay others to follow them around. The larger your posse, the bigger deal you were. James is warning his friends that the short-term gain they might receive by giving special honor to the rich isn’t going to last. Instead, they are to live the law of loving their neighbor as themselves.
James challenges his readers not to be hypocrites and to change their ways. Favoritism and following the world’s system of power, prestige, and privilege will not bring life. The antidote? Set your focus on loving God and others. This is helpful advice for us. We live with intense pressure to demonstrate our value as unique, interesting, self-fulfilled people who have everything together. Healthy community removes this burden by having us find ourselves in our connection and love of others.
Judge less, offer mercy more
For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2:13)
We make judgments instantly about people. However, we don’t appreciate it when we are judged because often, the judgments are misplaced. A consistent theme throughout the scriptures is to extend mercy rather than judgment to others just as God has to us. When we offer mercy to others, we create an environment of safety which is a crucial ingredient to a healthy community.
The church is to be the people who relate to others as God has related to us in the person of Christ. Together we can build this kind of community when we value others, live the law of love, and extend mercy, not judgment.
